Sunshade holding structure

ABSTRACT

A sunshade holding structure comprises a flexible frame, a sunshade cloth and at least one positioning member. The flexible frame has at least one notch on the circumference thereof. The sunshade cloth covers the flexible frame to form a sunshade. The positioning member has two flanges extended towards the sunshade, a latch groove formed between the flanges to latch on the notch of the flexible frame, and a housing compartment opposite to the latch groove to hold a magnetic element. The positioning member is latched on one side of the notch of the flexible frame and turned to align with the circumference of the flexible frame so that the positioning member can be held securely on the flexible frame. Moreover, the magnetic element of the positioning member also attracts the inner side of a vehicle window frame to form secure positioning. Installation and disassembly also can be done quickly.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sunshade structure and particularlyto a sunshade holding structure attached to an inner side of a vehiclewindow frame through magnetic elements to block sunshine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A wide variety of vehicle sunshades are now available on the market.They generally can be divided in 1: Attaching to the vehicle window viaa plurality of suckers; 2: Attaching to the vehicle window via staticelectricity; and 3: Latching flanges extended from the circumference ofthe sunshade on corresponding notch components of the vehicle window.They all aim to facilitate fast and easy installation and disassembly ofthe sunshade when in use.

Applicant has proposed a novel shade assembly granted in U.S. Pat. No.7,131,683 which includes a plurality of fastening blocks 2 each has anadhering layer 21 on the backside to attach to the top edge and bottomedge of a vehicle window frame 1, please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2. Eachfastening block 2 has a holding zone 22 in the middle with a wider innerside and a narrower outer side to allow a flexible sunshade 3 to bewedged in flexibly for anchoring, thereby achieve the purpose ofblocking sunshine projection. When in use the vehicle window can beopened without removing the sunshade 3. The sunshade 3 can be easilyremoved because of its flexibility. However, the flexible sunshade 3 hasto be removed from the holding zone 22 of the fastening block 2. Whenused for a prolonged period of time the adhesive layer 21 bonded betweenthe fastening block 2 and vehicle window frame 1 tends to loosen off,and adhesive residues are easily generated. Moreover, installation anddisassembly of the sunshade 3 also take substantial time and labor.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,365,799 discloses another type of window covering forvehicles. Its window covering 4 includes a casing 41, a panel 42, afirst magnet 43 and a second magnet 44. The casing 41 includes aferromagnetic material, and includes a first member 411 and a secondmember 412. The first and the second members 411 and 412 haverespectively a hole 413. The first magnet 43 and second magnet 44 aremagnetically attached to the respective hole 413 of the first member 411and second member 412, and the panel 42 is attached to the first andsecond members 411 and 412, and covers the holes 413. The windowcovering 4, through the first magnet 43 and second magnet 44, isconfigured to be magnetically attached to the window frame 1 a. Duringinstallation of the window covering 4, the first magnet 43 and secondmagnet 44 are attached respectively to the holes 413 of the first andsecond members 411 and 412; next, the panel 42 covers the casing 41 andthe first magnet 43 and second magnet 44, and then is trimmed and sewed.But the first magnet 43 and second magnet 44 held in the holes 413easily loosen off after used for a period of time and result in droppingfrom the panel 42 and sliding in position. This creates difficulty ofpositioning on the window frame 1. Moreover, fabrication process of thewindow covering 4 is more complex and the cost is higher.

In view of the drawbacks occurring to the aforesaid conventionaltechniques, there is still room for improvement on positioning of thesunshade.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a sunshadeholding structure to magnetically attract a sunshade through positioningmembers to an inner side of a vehicle window frame to block sunshine.

To achieve the foregoing object, the sunshade holding structure of theinvention comprises a flexible frame, a sunshade cloth and at least onepositioning member. The flexible frame has at least one notch on thecircumference thereof. The sunshade cloth covers the flexible frame toform a sunshade. The positioning member has two flanges extended towardsthe sunshade, a latch groove formed between the flanges to latch on thenotch of the flexible frame, and a housing compartment opposite to thelatch groove to hold a magnetic element.

By means of the structure set forth above, the invention provides manyadvantages, notably:

1. The sunshade of the invention can be directly attached to the innerside of a vehicle window frame via the magnetic element of thepositioning member to block sunshine. Both installation and disassemblycan be done quickly and easily.

2. The positioning member of the invention is latched on the notch ofthe flexible frame and aligned with the circumference of the flexibleframe to closely attach to the inner side of the vehicle window frame,hence can reduce the gap of sunshine projection.

3. The sunshade of the invention is fabricated by covering the sunshadecloth on the flexible frame first, and then latching the positioningmember on the flexible frame. Compared with the second conventionaltechnique mentioned above that has the first magnet and second magnetattracted respectively to the holes of the first and second members, andthen the panel covers the casing and the first and second magnets and istrimmed and sewed, the invention provides a simpler fabrication processand can reduce the production cost. Moreover, the positioning member canbe latched on the sunshade without sliding easily.

The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages ofthe invention will be more readily apparent from the following detaileddescription, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the sunshade holding structure of a firstconventional technique.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the sunshade holding structure of thefirst conventional. technique in an installation condition.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the window covering of a secondconventional technique.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the window covering of the secondconventional technique in an installation condition.

FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded view of the sunshade holding structure ofthe invention.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the positioning member of theinvention.

FIG. 6B is a cross section taken on line 6B-6B in FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7A is a schematic view of the positioning member of the inventionwedging from an outer side of the sunshade.

FIG. 7B is a schematic view of the positioning member of the inventionwedging in the flexible frame.

FIG. 7C is a schematic view of the positioning member of the inventionlatched on the flexible frame after turning.

FIG. 8A is a schematic view of the sunshade of the invention installedon a vehicle window frame.

FIG. 8B is a fragmentary enlarged view of the magnetic element of theinvention attracted magnetically to the vehicle window frame.

FIG. 9A is a schematic view of another embodiment of the sunshade of theinvention installed on a vehicle window frame.

FIG. 9B is a fragmentary enlarged view of the magnetic element of theinvention magnetically attracted to a metal plate according to FIG. 9A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 5 through 6B and 8A, the present invention aims toprovide a sunshade holding structure 6 which comprises a flexible frame61, a sunshade cloth 62 and at least one positioning member 63.

The flexible frame 61 is made of metal and can be bent correspondinglyto a vehicle window frame 7. The flexible frame 61 has at least onenotch 611 abutting the circumference of the vehicle window frame 7. Inthis embodiment, four notches 611 are formed.

The sunshade cloth 62 is formed in a same or different densities or in amesh style, and has the circumference covering the flexible frame 61 andtrimmed and sewed to form a sunshade 60.

The positioning member 63 is formed at a number corresponding to thenotches 611. The positioning member 63 has two flanges 631 extendedtowards the sunshade 60 and a latch groove 633 formed between the twoflanges 631. Each flange 631 has an inverse hook 632 at a distal enddirecting inwards. The positioning member 63 further has a housingcompartment 634 opposite to the latch groove 633 and an opening 635 atthe bottom of the housing compartment 634 leading to the latch groove633. The housing compartment 634 holds securely a magnetic element 64such as a magnet.

By means of the elements set forth above, for assembly when in use, thelatch groove 633 of the positioning member 63 is latched on the outerside of the sunshade 60 in a tilted manner to couple on the notch 611 ofthe flexible frame 61 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7A through 7C. Then, thesloped surface of the inverse hook 632 guides the positioning member 63to turn so that the magnetic element 64 on the another side of thepositioning member 63 is located at the outer side of the sunshade 60and the sunshade cloth 62 and the covered flexible frame 61 are confinedin the latch groove 633. Moreover, the elevation of the positioningmember 63 latched on the notch 611 of the flexible frame 61 is alignedwith the circumference of the flexible frame 61. In addition, thesunshade cloth 62 is wedged in the latch groove 633 with increasedfriction resistance during latching, therefore is less likely to beturned and loosen away. Furthermore, the flexible frame 61 in the latchgroove 633 is attracted magnetically by the magnetic element 64 throughthe opening 635, hence the positioning member 63 can be securely held onthe sunshade 60. In short, the sunshade 60 of the invention can bedirectly attached to the inner side of the iron vehicle window frame 7through the magnetic element 64 as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B to quicklyand easily position the sunshade 60. When not in use it also can beremoved easily.

The sunshade 60 of the invention also can deployed on a vehicle windowframe 7 a made from plastics. Please refer to FIGS. 9A and 9B, aplurality of magnetic metal plates 8 can be provided and attached to theinner side of the plastic vehicle window frame 7 a to generate magneticattraction to the magnetic elements 64, thereby the sunshade holdingstructure 6 can be securely held at the desired position.

In short, in the invention, the sunshade cloth 62 first covers theflexible frame 61 and is trimmed and sewed to form the sunshade 60, andthen the positioning members 63 are latched on the notches 611 of theflexible frame 61 of the sunshade 60. Compared with the secondconventional technique mentioned above the invention can be fabricatedsimpler to reduce the production cost. Moreover, the positioning member63 can latch on the sunshade 60 firmer without easily sliding away.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sunshade holding structure, comprising: aflexible frame including at least one notch on the circumferencethereof; a sunshade cloth covering the flexible frame to form asunshade; and at least one positioning member which is latched on thenotch of the flexible frame and includes two flanges extended towardsthe sunshade to clamp the sunshade, a latch groove formed between thetwo flanges to accommodate the sunshade, and a housing compartmentlocated at one side thereof remote from the sunshade to hold a magneticelement, wherein an elevation of the positioning member latched on thenotch of the flexible frame is aligned to the circumference of theflexible frame.
 2. The sunshade holding structure of claim 1, whereinthe two flanges respectively includes an inverse hook at a distal enddirecting inwards so that the inverse hooks of the two flanges face eachother.
 3. The sunshade holding structure of claim 1, wherein thesunshade cloth is formed in a same or different densities.
 4. Thesunshade holding structure of claim 1, wherein the positioning memberincludes an opening at the bottom of the housing compartment leading tothe latch groove.
 5. The sunshade holding structure of claim 1, whereinthe magnetic element is a magnet.
 6. The sunshade holding structure ofclaim 1, wherein the magnetic element of the positioning member ismagnetically attracted to an inner side of an iron vehicle window frame.7. The sunshade holding structure of claim 1 further including at leastone metal plate attached to an inner side of a plastic vehicle windowframe and magnetically attracted by the magnetic element of thepositioning element.